Urinary interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in children with urinary tract infection.

Urinary interleukin-6 (UIL-6) and urinary interleukin-8 (UIL-8) concentrations were measured by immunoassay in 39 and 34 patients respectively, hospitalized with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI), and in 37 and 32 age-, race- and sex-matched febrile control children respectively, with negative urine cultures. UIL-6 and UIL-8 concentrations, measured in picograms per milliliter and corrected for creatinine, were compared with clinical and laboratory indicators of inflammation and bacterial virulence factors of Escherichia coli. Median UIL-6 concentrations at the time of admission were 397 pg/ml (range 0-65,789 pg/ml) in the 37 patients compared to 0 pg/ml (range 0-473.8 pg/ml) in the 37 controls (P < 0.0001). Median UIL-8 concentrations at the time of admission were 5809 pg/ml (range 0-347,368 pg/ml) in the 32 patients compared to 0 pg/ml (range 0-2231 pg/ml) in the 32 controls (P < 0.0001). UIL-6 and UIL-8 concentrations were lower (P < 0.0001 for UIL-6 and P = 0.0005 for UIL-8) in follow-up urine samples from UTI patients, obtained 48 h after the initiation of antibiotic therapy. UIL-6 and UIL-8 concentrations were statistically significantly correlated with urine white blood cells (WBC). UIL-8 concentrations were elevated in patients with E. coli organisms producing hemolysin. UIL-6 and UIL-8 are elevated in children with febrile UTI and decrease in response to antibiotic therapy. Magnitude of UIL-8 response is associated with hemolysin production, a bacterial virulence factor of E. coli. UIL-6 and UIL-8 concentrations are statistically correlated with urine WBC. UIL-6 and UIL-8 may be mediators of inflammation in children with febrile UTI.

Restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR amplified papE gene products is correlated with complete serotype among uropathogenic Escherichia coli isolates.

Using whole bacteria, rather than extracted, purified DNA samples, we amplified the papE gene sequences from 63 Escherichia coli isolates belonging to O serogroups O1, O2 and O6. These isolates were from collections separated temporally as well as geographically: from four cities in the US and one in Sweden. PCR amplified papE products were digested with restriction endonucleases and the relative sizes of the fragments compared for each strain. For 41 of the strains, we found a correlation between the papE restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and the complete serotype. Furthermore, we were able to detect the presence of duplicate copies of the gene in 14 of the isolates; these 14 isolates were among the 22 that did not exhibit a correlation between the RFLP of their amplified papE sequences and their complete serotype. We conclude that RFLP analysis of PCR products is a rapid and relatively simple method for examining the DNA of E. coli containing the pap gene sequence.

Parainfluenza virus type 2 meningitis and parotitis in an 11-year-old child.

We describe the case of an 11-year-old Bolivian boy with parotitis and aseptic meningitis to demonstrate that parainfluenza virus type 2 can cause disseminated infection in a normal child. Parainfluenza virus type 2 was isolated from nasopharyngeal and CSF specimens from the patient and was confirmed to be parainfluenza virus type 2 by hemadsorption inhibition and by complement fixation. Parainfluenza virus type 2 may cause aseptic meningitis and parotitis.

Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis: emerging and established challenges for the clinician.

OBJECTIVE: The goal of this review is to facilitate the management of patients with tick-associated diseases. This article will discuss the epidemiology, clinical diagnosis, and antimicrobial therapy of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and ehrlichiosis. DATA SOURCES: References are limited to the English language and extend back to the beginning of the twentieth century. The human and veterinary literature were reviewed. Sources include computerized databases and bibliographies of recent articles and books. STUDY SELECTION: Papers were selected on the basis of their timeliness, explanation of important findings by major investigators, extrapolation of clinical data from large patient populations, and clarification of controversial issues. Approximately 50% of the articles initially reviewed are included in the bibliography. RESULTS: Standardization of laboratory testing for Lyme disease should facilitate more accurate diagnosis in the future. Clinical diagnosis of Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis prior to laboratory confirmation is necessary in order to ensure timely institution of antimicrobial therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Knowledge of endemic regions and seasonal cycles of vectors, varying clinical presentations of disease and appropriate utilization of the laboratory are critical for the appropriate diagnosis and management of patients with tick-associated diseases.

Association of Lewis blood group phenotypes with urinary tract infection in children.

Many blood group antigens, genetically controlled carbohydrate molecules, are found on the surface of uroepithelial cells and may affect bacterial adherence and increase the frequency of urinary tract infection (UTI) in adults. Sixty-two children aged 2 weeks to 17 years (mean, 2.3 years) who were hospitalized with fever in association with UTIs caused by Escherichia coli had complete (n = 50) or partial (n = 12) erythrocyte antigen typing to determine the role of erythrocyte antigens and phenotypes in UTI in children; 62 healthy children undergoing nonurologic elective surgery, matched 1 to 1 for age, sex, and race to the patient group, formed the control group. In univariate tests, patients and control subjects did not differ in ABO, Rh, P, Kell, Duffy, MNSs, and Kidd systems by the McNemar test of symmetry (p > 0.05). The frequency of the Lewis (Le) (a-b-) phenotype was higher (16/50 vs 5/50; p = 0.0076) and the frequency of the Le(a + b +) phenotype was lower (8/50 vs 16/50; p = 0.0455) in the patient population than in the control subjects. A stepwise logistic regression model to predict UTI with the explanatory variables A, B, O, M, N, S, s, Pl, Lea, and Leb showed that only the Lea and Leb antigens entered the model with p < 0.1. The Le(a-b-) phenotype was associated with UTI in this pediatric population. The relative risk of UTI in children with the Le(a-b-) phenotype was 3.2 (95% confidence interval, 1.3 to 7.9). Specific blood group phenotypes in pediatric populations may provide a means to identify children at risk of having UTI.

Urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase and beta-2-microglobulin in the diagnosis of urinary tract infection in febrile infants.

Urinary N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase (NAG) and beta-2-microglobulin (B2M) concentrations were measured in 24 pediatric patients with febrile urinary tract infection (UTI) and compared with the technetium-99m-labeled dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan results, in order to evaluate a noninvasive means to localize the site of UTI. Increased urinary B2M and NAG were not associated with renal inflammation (pyelonephritis), as defined by positive dimercaptosuccinic acid scan. Median NAG concentrations were 114.2 mumol/hour/mg creatinine (CR) (range, 5.7 to 305.4) in 17 febrile UTI patients vs. 13.8 (range, 3.4 to 104.3) in 17 age and sex-matched febrile controls with negative urine cultures, P = 0.0001. The sensitivity and specificity of NAG > or = 40 mumol/hour/mg of CR in predicting UTI in febrile patients, regardless of the site of infection, were 88 and 88%, respectively. Increased urinary NAG is associated with UTI in febrile patients regardless of the level of infection (scan status), and may be an informative indicator of UTI.

Escherichia coli virulence factors and 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan in children with febrile urinary tract infection.

Correlation of virulence factors of Escherichia coli with renal inflammation documented by 99mTc-dimercaptosuccinic acid renal scan was undertaken in 59 children with febrile urinary tract infections to identify more accurately the role of bacterial virulence factors in the development of pyelonephritis. P fimbriae were present in 63% of isolates from the positive scan group and 83% of those from the negative scan group (P = 0.126). Multivariate regression analysis showed no significant role for established E. coli virulence factors in the development of pyelonephritis. The pap genome was independently associated with negative scan (P less than 0.007) and with the absence of reflux (P = 0.031). E. coli pyelonephritogenic clone O16:K1:H6 was isolated from negative scan patients and did not produce hemolysin. We conclude that P fimbriae are important in the development of febrile urinary tract infection regardless of the level of infection. Virulent E. coli clones described in prior Scandinavian urinary tract infection studies were not common causes of pyelonephritis in our patient population.